Peripheral Vascular Injuries Four Years Experience

Abstract

Management of peripheral vascular injuries is a big problem for the emergency and trauma surgeon in Pakistan due to late presentation and poor facilities ¡n the hospitals, which results in morbidity in the form of amputations of the limbs. This study was aimed to identify the mode of vascular injuries and causes of poor outcome. Nineteen cases were included in this study that presented in Orthopaedic Emergency Department of Mayo Hospital, Lahore General Hospital and Services Hospital, Lahore from January 1996 to December 1999. Late presentation, combined Arterial /Venous injuries and distal limb injuries resulted higher rate of complications. The commonest mode of injury was firearm (9). There were 12 isolated arterial injuries and 7 cases have both arterial and venous injuries. And 5 out of 7 resulted in amputation. The mean delay in presentation to emergency was 6 hours. In 3 cases early amputation was performed and 4 cases underwent secondary amputation after failure of repair. Time is an important factor in determining he final outcome of vascular.